Clasp for jewelry



CLASP FOR JEWELRY Filed June L5, 1965 64 Fla/4 62 H 64' ,25 FIG/6 INVENTOR 9% SIMON cswwmm 5 "F/ .17 QJL 6/ 64' 6 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fitice 3,308,517 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 This invention relates to articles of jewelry, and more particularly to improved forms of clasps for ornamental bracelets and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a jewelry clasp of great simplicity having a keeper and catch, each fabricated from a single stamped blank of sheet metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jewelry clasp fabricated from sheet metal stamping wherein the wastage of metal is reduced to a minimum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal jewelry clasp having improved operating charactenistics.

The invention will be understood by those skilled in the art after reading the following specification in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a preferred form of keeper for a clasp made in accordance with this invention is produced;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a keeper made from the blank of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a keeper and catch made in accordance with the preferred embodiment;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a blank from which a modified form of keeper in accordance with this invention is produced;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the keeper produced from the blank of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a keeper and catch of the type shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a blank from which another modified form of keeper may be produced;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the keeper produced from the blank of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a front elevation of the keeper shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a keeper and catch partially engaged with the keeper shown in FIGURES 7-9;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the keeper and catch shown in FIGURE 10 but in the fully engaged position;

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional elevation on a slightly enlarged scale taken on the lines 12-12 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of a blank from which the catch shown in FIGURES 10-12 may be produced;

FIGURE 14 is a side elevation of the catch made from the blank of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of a blank from which a modified form of catch may be produced;

FIGURE 16 is a side elevation of the catch made from the blank shown in FIGURE 15;

FIGURE 17 is a plan view of the catch shown in FIGURE 16.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which various forms of clasps are shown; a preferred form of clasp is shown in FIGURES 1-3, the keeper means being identified generally by numeral 36 while the catch means being identified generally by numeral 31. The keeper is formed from a blank 32 stamped from a flat strip of metal to provide a base portion 33.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2, the side walls in the finished keeper are bent up from the base 33 along the parallel dotted bending lines a shown in FIGURE 1 so that they extend vertically above the base. The front wall means, indicated generally by numeral 45, is provided by bending the front wall members 36 inwardly about the dotted lines b shown in FIGURE 1. It will be observed that in the blank of FIGURE 1 a portion of the metal of the front wall members is cut away adjacent the fold line B, as at 38, so that when the keeper is formed the front wall means will be provided with a horizontal slot, indicated generally by numeral 39 in FIGURE 3, which receives the catch 31 in locking engagement. Finally, the two members 37 are bent inwardly from the side walls so as to lie in a horizontal plane spaced above the base to provide an additional attaching means, indicated generally by numeral 46, for joining the keeper to a bracelet (not shown).

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 13, the front wall members are of a length such that their free ends are spaced from each other to provide a vertical slot indicated generally by numeral 40 in the front wall means for a purpose which will be apparent when the catch 31 is described. Also in this form the attaching members 37 are also cut to a length such that their free ends do not join with each other.

The catch 31 is of the type formed from a single elongated strip of spring metal folded back upon itself along a transverse medial bending line to form a base member 41 and an overlapping locking portion 42 having a vertical actuating pin 43 soldered or welded to the locking strip. The strip is also bent upwardly at one end to provide a vertical wall 44 to which one end of a bracelet may be secured either by soldering or welding. While the width of the end wall may vary in accordance with the size of the bracelet, the base and locking portions are substantially equal to the width of the base 39 of the keeper but no greater than will permit a smooth sliding fit against the side wall 35 when the catch is inserted. Further, the free end of the locking member terminates short of the end wall 44 so that when the catch is fully inserted it may snap up behind the front wall means formed by the portions 36. It will be observed at this point that the vertical slot 4% is provided to permit the actuating pin to pass through to a position behind the front wall means when the catch is inserted.

The modified form of keeper in FIGURES 4 and 5 may also be used with a catch 31' similar to the catch 31, as shown in FIGURE 6. The modified form of keeper is also stamped from a single sheet of metal to provide a base portion 33', having a forwardly projecting guiding tongue 34', side walls 35 supporting a front wall means, indicated generally my numeral 45', composed of inwardly directed members 36'. The modified form of attaching means, indicated generally by numeral 46', is, in this case, composed of a pair of members 47 projecting outwardly from the side walls 35' of somewhat greater length than the equivalent members 37 disclosed in the previous modification. The length of these members is such that when folded inwardly their free ends will abut as at 48 where they are preferably, but not necessarily, either soldered or welded together to form a stronger construction for the keeper and to provide an additional surface to which the end of the bracelet may be secured.

It will be realized that, the form of keeper shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 has the advantage of greater strength and a larger attachment means for securing it to a bracelet.

Still another modified form of clasp is shown in FIG- URES 714 in which the keeper is indicated generally by numeral 43 and the catch is indicated generally by numeral 50.

The keeper 49 is formed from a flat blank of sheet metal as shown in FIGURE 7 to provide a generally rectangular base 51 having a pair of parallel vertical side walls 52 bent up along the dotted lines 0. The portion of the metal blank at the forward end of the side walls is bent inwardly along the bending lines d to provide a transverse forward wall means composed of the inwardly directed members 53, the length of these members being such that they are placed in abutting relationship to each other and preferably welded or soldered together as at 54. In addition when the blank is formed, the members 53 are cut out to provide a pair of offset recesses 55 and 56 adjacent the forward portion of the base. These recesses cooperate to define a horizontal slot in the forward wall means of the keeper, the lower portion of which, indicated generally by numeral 58, extends substantially across the full width of the base, the upper portion of the slot, indicated generally by numeral 59, being somewhat narrower in width.

One form of catch 59 which may be used with the keeper 4? is shown in FIGURES l0-14 and can be fabricated from a single sheet of spring metal as shown in FIGURE 13. As will be seen this strip is generaily an elongated rectangle in outline, when stamped out. Starting at the left hand side, the first two portions 69 and 61 are substantially identical in shape, the portion 60 being folded over flat against the portion 61 about a fold line 6 to form an actuating handle portion which is disposed generally at right angles with respect to the latching portions 62 and 63, portion 61 being bent along the line 1, with respect to portion 62. The upper latching portion 62 is bent over with respect to the lower latching portion 63 along the fold line g, while the attaching portion 64 is bent up at right angles with respect to the portion 63 along the bend line it so as to be disposed behind the handle portion and spaced from it slightly.

It will be observed that in order to provide the proper spacing the lower latching portion 63 is somewhat longer in length than the upper portion 62. Latching portion 62 is also inwardly recessed, as at 65, on both sides adjacent the fold line connecting it with the handle portion. The width ofportions 62 and 63 are such as to provide a loose sliding fit between the side walls of the keeper. It will be seen that when the catch is pushed into the keeper, the upper latching portion 62. will be depressed downwardly as it passes through the lower porton 58 of the horizontal slot but that when it is fully inserted into the keeper the width of the latching portion between the recesses 65 is such that it will snap up into the upper portion of the slot 59, thus locking the catch in place. The height of the handle portions 60 and 61 is such that when the catch is in the locking position they will project upwardly above the attaching portion 64, so that the catch may be unlocked by depressing the handle portion to disengage the locking recesses 65 from the front wall members 53.

As in the ease of the previously described modifications, the keeper 49 may also have an additional attaching means such as would be provided by the members 65 formed in the blank to project inwardly from the upper edges of the side walls 52. While they are shown in FIGURES 710 as extending only part way across as 15 the case with the keeper shown in FIGURES l-3, the members 65 could be made so that their free ends are in abutting engagement as in the modification shown in FIGURES 46. Furthermore, while the attaching means is shown in the drawings in all of the modifications just described as being located approximately over the center portion of the base, it will be obvious that these members could be positioned adjacent the front wall means or at the back of the keeper and could vary in width.

A blank for forming a modified form of catch is shown in FIGURE 15. This blank is shown as having portions 61', 62, 63' and 64 substantially identical with the equivalent portions 61-64 of the blank shown in FIGURE 13, the portion 62' being recessed at 65'. In this form of catch, the actuating portion is comprised of the portion 61 only and the advantage of this catch is that, while there is less surface for the wearers finger to press upon when disengaging the catch, there is a considerable saving in the amount of metal required to fabricate it.

Having disclosed several forms in which the invention may be practiced, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other modifications and improvements may be made which would come within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a keeper for a jewelry clasp, comprising a single sheet of metal formed to provide a flat base having a pair of parallel vertical side walls bent up from the base along parallel lines of bending, a vertical flat front wall means at right angles to the side walls comprising two strips bent inwardly from the front ends of the side walls, and a fiat horizontal attaching means spaced above the base and extending between the side walls comprising fiat strips joined to th side walls by parallel lines of bending, the lower portion of said front wall means having a horizontal slot for a flat spring catch, said slot extending the entire width of the base.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the free ends of the strips comprising the front wall means are spaced from each other to provide an opening in the operating member of a catch.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the free ends of the strips comprising the front wall means are disposed in abutting relationship.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein said strips comprising the front wall means are physically joined to each other.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the free ends of the strips comprising the attaching means are disposed in spaced relationship.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the free ends of the strips comprising the attaching means are disposed in abutting relationship.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein the free ends of the strips comprising the attaching means are physically joined to each other.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the front wall means extends above the side walls.

9. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the base includes a tongue portion extending forwardly of the front wall means.

10. In a clasp for jewelry including -a fiat spring catch means and a keeper means, said keeper means comprising a first single sheet of metal formed to provide a flat base having a pair of parallel vertical side walls, a vertical front wall means at right angles to the side walls, said front wall means being joined to at least one of the side walls by a vertical line of bending and being joined in abutting relationship to an integral portion of the other side wall, said front wall means having a horizontal slot, the lower portion of which extends the full width of the base to receive the catch means, and horizontal attaching means spaced above the base and extending between the side walls, said catch means comprising a second single sheet of spring metal doubled over along a transverse line of bending to form a latching portion, both of the free ends of the second sheet bent substantially at right angles to the latching portion and in the same direction to provide an attaching portion and an actuating portion, said sheet adjacent the actuating portion being inwardly recessed at both margins to provide a lock portion of lesser width than the latching portion, the upper portion of the slot in the front wall means of the keeper means being of shorter width to engage with the lock portion of the latch means.

11. In a keeper for a jewelry clasp, comprising a single sheet of metal formed to provide a flat base having a pair of parallel vertical side walls bent up from the base along parallel lines of bending, a vertical flat front wall at right angles to the side walls comprised of strips bent inwardly from the side walls by parallel vertical lines of bending and joined to each other in abutting relationship, the lower portion of said front wall having a horizontal slot for a flat spring catch, the lower portion of said slot extending the entire width of the base, said slot being stepped at each side to provide an upper portion narrower than the lower portion.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11, wherein said strips forming the front wall also extend outwardly at both sides beyond the base.

13. The invention as defined in claim 11, wherein said front wall extends above the level of the side walls.

14. The invention defined in claim 11, which includes a catch comprising an elongated strip of spring metal folded along a plurality of spaced parallel transverse bending lines, a medial portion of the strip having parallel side margins and being doubled upon itself along one of said bending lines to provide upper and lower latching portions having a width substantially equal to the lowermost slot in the 'front Wall means of said keeper, the upper latching portion being shorter than the lower latching portion, both end portions of the strip extending upwardly from a respective latching portion along respective ones of said bending lines in side-by-side parallel relationship to provide an actuating portion and an attaching portion, both said last-mentioned portions terminating in horizontal upper margins, the upper margin of the actuating portion being normally dis-posed above the upper margin of the attaching portion, said upper latching portion having inwardly directed marginal recesses adjacent the actuating portion for locking the catch in place.

15. The invention as defined in claim 14, wherein said actuating portion includes a second portion of metal attached to the first mentioned actuating portion by a horizontal line of bending at the upper margin thereof.

16. The invention as defined in claim 15, wherein said second portion is disposed forwardly of the attaching portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 530,318 12/1894 Adams 24230 X 1,957,141 5/1934 Jordan 24-230 2,952,058 9/1960 Geldwerth 24-230 3,269,145 8/1966 Druskin 634 BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A KEEPER FOR A JEWELRY CLASP, COMPRISING A SINGLE SHEET OF METAL FORMED TO PROVIDE A FLAT BASE HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL VERTICAL SIDE WALLS BENT UP FROM THE BASE ALONG PARALLEL LINES OF BENDING, A VERTICAL FLAT FRONT WALL MEANS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SIDE WALLS COMPRISING TWO STRIPS BENT INWARDLY FROM THE FRONT ENDS OF THE SIDE WALLS, AND A FLAT HORIZONTAL ATTACHING MEANS SPACED ABOVE THE BASE AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS COMPRISING FLAT STRIPS JOINED TO THE SIDE WALLS BY PARALLEL LINES OF BENDING, THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FRONT WALL MEANS HAVING A HORIZONTAL SLOT FOR A FLAT SPRING CATCH, SAID SLOT EXTENDING THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE BASE. 